PayPal can be used all over the world to make and receive payments through the Internet, eliminating the need for paper transactions. You can add to your PayPal balance electronically if you have a confirmed bank account or a debit/credit card linked to your PayPal account. And now, with PayPal Cash, you can even walk into one of thousands of participating US locations and add cash right at the register.

Steps

Method1

Adding Money from your Bank Account

1

View your PayPal Wallet.[1] Before you can transfer money from your bank account, you’ll need to link an account with PayPal. Visit paypal.com, log in with your PayPal account, and then click the "Wallet" link at the very top of the page. You'll find it between the "Send & Request" and "Shop" buttons.

The ability to link accounts varies depending on your country. Not all countries allow you to connect a bank account to PayPal.

If you don't have a bank account, you may be able to use PayPal My Cash. This service allows you to add money to your PayPal account using a card purchased at a retail store. You can use this to turn your cash into PayPal funds. See the next section for details.

You cannot add money to your PayPal account by linking a credit card. This will only allow you to make purchases with that card using PayPal checkout. It cannot be used to add money to your PayPal balance. You can only add money by linking a bank account or debit card, or by using PayPal Cash.

Link a preferred bank account. If your bank is listed on this screen, click its logo. Type the username and password for your online banking account into the provided fields, then click “Link Bank Instantly.” Your banking account will be instantly verified.

4

Link a different bank account. If your bank did not appear on the preferred list, click “I have a different bank” to enter your account information manually.

Select the account type, and then enter your Routing and Account numbers. Click “Agree and Link.”

5

Confirm your linked account after a few days. In a few days, PayPal will deposit two small amounts into your account. You’ll need to confirm those two amounts in PayPal to verify your account. When you see these deposits hit your bank account, log into PayPal and click the “Wallet” link. Click "Confirm" next to the account you just added and complete the process by entering the two deposit amounts.

This is only required if you weren't able to choose from one of the preferred banks.

6

Transfer money from your bank account. Once you have a bank account linked and confirmed, transferring money from your bank account to your PayPal account is a fairly simple process.

Log into PayPal and click the "Add Money" icon, found under your PayPal balance.

Select the bank account you want to transfer from and enter the amount. Click "Add."

7

Check to see when the transaction will be completed. Depending on your bank and your PayPal use, transactions may take a few days to complete. Make sure to check when your transaction will go through as this can prevent overdrawing your account.

Log into PayPal and click on the "Activity" button the top of the page.

Click on the transaction that is processing. You'll see the expected clearing date.

Method2

Using PayPal Cash

1

Use PayPal Cash to add money to your account without linking a bank account or debit card.[2] PayPal Cash allows you to use PayPal without having to rely on a bank account or credit card. You can add cash to your PayPal balance directly from the register at thousands of retail locations across the United States. PayPal Cash replaces the MoneyPak service, which was discontinued in 2015.

2

Find a location. Click the “Add Money” link on the left side of the screen, then select “Add money at a store.” A list of businesses in your area that participate in PayPal Cash (such as Rite-Aid and CVS) will appear on your screen. Select a store from the dropdown menu, and then click “Get Started.”

3

Choose a method to receive your PayPal Cash barcode. In order to use PayPal Cash, you need to create a barcode online and bring it to the retailer, who will use it to deposit cash into your account. Enter your email address or mobile phone number to have your code sent digitally, or click “Print.”

The barcode is only valid for 48 hours, and can only be used once. If you are unable to get to the retailer in 48 hours, you’ll have to print another barcode.

You can only use this barcode to add money to your own PayPal account.

4

Bring the barcode and cash to the retail location. Walk up to the register and present your barcode to the cashier, either on your smartphone or on paper. Present the cash amount you want added to your PayPal account.

There will be a $3.95 service fee. The cashier will scan the barcode to transfer your cash to your PayPal account.

You can add $20 to $500 at a time with PayPal Cash, with a monthly maximum of $4000.

The money will appear in your PayPal account instantly. You will also a receive an email notification confirming the money was received.

Method3

Adding Prepaid Cards to Your PayPal Wallet

1

Register your prepaid card with the issuer. You may need to register your billing address with the card issuer before you can use it in PayPal. Visit the website or call the number on the back of the card and follow the instructions for registering your billing address.

2

Log into your PayPal Wallet. You can add most prepaid debit cards to your PayPal wallet so that you can easily use them to pay wherever PayPal is accepted. This will not add the prepaid card's balance to your account, but will allow you to select it when checking out.

Visit paypal.com/myaccount/wallet and log in with your PayPal account if you aren't already.

This will not work with merchant-specific prepaid cards that do not have a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover logo on them.

3

Click the "Link a card" button in the "Credit and debit cards" section. This will start the process for adding a new card.

4

Click the "Prepaid" tab. This will allow you to add a prepaid card to your account.

5

Enter your prepaid card information. Enter the card number, expiration date, and security code. Make sure the address selected matches the address you registered with the card issuer. You can select "Add new billing address" if you need to create a new one.

6

Select your prepaid card during checkout. After you've added your card, you'll be able to select it during the PayPal checkout process when making a purchase.

You cannot split the amount between your prepaid card and your PayPal balance. If your purchase is declined, you likely do not have enough money on the prepaid card to cover the entire balance due. You may have also incorrectly registered your billing address.

Method4

Transferring Money Between PayPal Accounts

1

Get ready to transfer money with PayPal.[3] If you want to add money to someone else's account, the process is fairly straightforward. You may be helping out a friend financially, helping finance someone's creative project, or paying someone for a product or service you received.

2

Link a bank account with PayPal if you’ve not yet done so. Before you can send money through your bank account, you’ll need to have a bank account linked and confirmed with PayPal. If you don't already have a bank account linked, follow the steps listed earlier to verify your bank account.

3

Send money. Log in to your PayPal account and click the "Send & Request" tab. To pay for something you’ve purchased, click “Pay for goods and services.” To send money to another PayPal account, click “Send money to friends and family.”

Enter the email address or mobile phone number of the account to which you’d like to transfer money, then click “Next.”

Type the amount you would like to send, then click “Continue” to verify.

The money may take a few days to process, depending on whether there are any existing holds or limits on the recipient's account.

4

Request money from someone else. If you haven't received a payment for a good or service, you can request money via PayPal. The request money feature can also be used if you're trying to fund a project and want to send requests to friends and family members.

Click the “Send & Request” tab, then click “Request Money.”

Enter the recipient's email address and the amount you're requesting. The recipient will receive and email stating you requesting money that includes instructions on how to pay you using PayPal.

5

Receive money. When another person pays you for goods or services through PayPal, you will receive an email from PayPal.

To transfer money from your balance into your linked bank account, click “PayPal” balance on the left side of the screen and select “Transfer to your bank.” Type the amount of your transfer, select your linked bank from the dropdown, then click “Continue.”

To receive a check, follow the “Transfer to your bank” link, then click the link at the bottom of the screen that says “Request a check by mail instead.” Type the amount, select an address, and click “Continue” to confirm. Note that PayPal does charge $1.50 per check.[4]

Method5

Understanding PayPal

1

Understand why you might want money in a PayPal account.[5] PayPal allows you to send and receive money online. You can use PayPal to make many online purchases. Linking a debit or credit card to your PayPal account allows you to use your PayPal balance for real life shopping.

For online purchases, PayPal can be used in lieu of a credit card if it's linked to your bank account. This can increase your security, as the seller only receives your PayPal account number and no information from your bank or credit card.

PayPal, depending on your personal use, may freeze your account or limit the amount of money you can withdraw each month. Make sure you're following PayPal policy and upgrade your account to Premium or Business if you have a high number of PayPal transactions.

2

Consider linking a credit or debit card to PayPal.Linking a debit or credit card to PayPal makes it simple to send money and receive money through PayPal without having to provide credit card information to individual online sellers. To link your card, open your PayPal wallet and click “Link a card.” Enter your credit or debit card information and click “Save.”

3

Stay safe while using PayPal.[6] Many people use PayPal primarily for online purchases. The majority of online transactions go through without incident, however, there is a risk of fraud when buying online and PayPal account hacks can cause serious financial damage.

Look for the seller’s reviews. Most sellers have reviews online. Before making a purchase, try doing a few web searches for the seller’s name plus the word “reviews” or “fraud.”

Don’t respond to unsolicited sellers. This happens often on eBay. If you get a message about an item you’ve never inquired about, don’t respond. Established sellers typically don’t recruit buyers, so these messages could be scams.

If your item has a delivery date more than 20 days after making a purchase this is a sign of potential fraud.